Silicone versus polymethylmethacrylate intraocular lenses with regard to capsular opacification.
OBJECTIVE
The authors conducted a 3-year randomized trial to compare silicone intraocular lenses (IOLs) with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) IOLs, to determine any differences in laser capsulotomy rates, capsular opacification light scatter, and subjective scoring.


METHODS
A total of 119 patients were enrolled, 84 of whom were examined at 3 years. The authors designed a prospective, masked, and randomized trial to compare the objective (lens opacity meter), subjective (slit-lamp scoring), and clinical parameters of the posterior capsular opacification (PCO) of these patients.


RESULTS
The silicone group had less PCO than the PMMA group, according to objective (8.6% vs. 10.4%; P = .02, Student's t test) and subjective scoring (0.88 vs. 1.79; P = .0001, Student's t test). The laser capsulotomy rate was 24% for the silicone group and 33% for the PMMA group; however, this difference was not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
The silicone IOL was associated with less PCO than the PMMA IOL.
Olson
R J
RJ
John A. Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City 84132, USA.
Crandall
A S
AS
D000368:Aged; D002386:Cataract / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012826:Silicone Elastomers / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014792:Visual Acuity
D012826:Silicone Elastomers; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate